We use cookies on this website. To use the website as intended please accept cookies.

Tuesday March 19 , 2024

Blue Daisy Blog

Blue Daisy blog written by Nicki Jackson & Jules Clark - for news, views, garden design, gardening and plant observations and thoughts.

Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in Phyllostachys nigra

Garden Design Quick Tip: Sound

Posted by on in Garden Design
WaterSound can often take a back seat in gardens as most people tend to favour elements for our other senses.  Do you know what sounds are in your garden?  There will no doubt be bird song but can you hear any others?   Sit out one day for 10 or 15 minutes and make a note of all the different sounds you can hear.   Are the sounds in your garden satisfactory?  Are there any you want to disguise like a train or traffic in the distance?  Are there any you want to hear more? Once you have the answers to those questions you can begin to alter the sounds to fit your personal needs.
 
There are four main ways to incorporate sound: surfaces in the garden, wildlife, water and plants.  The use of different surfaces can create sounds that suit a particular area in your garden for example, gravel has a distinctive crunch, bark is soft and quiet and paving will have a low impact thud all of which will let garden creatures know you’re approaching!   Increasing the sound of wildlife in the garden can be achieved by attracting more birds through using specific plants and installing a feeding station.  Choosing plants that attract pollinating insects such as bees will increase the soft hum they create whilst busy at work.  Frogs and toads create sounds by not only their croaking but also by plopping into water!
 
Water is a well known element for creating sounds in a garden but be sure of the kind of effect you would like.  If you want to have a relaxing ambience you’ll be leaning towards a soft trickle or if you would like a refreshing and stimulating atmosphere then perhaps a rhythmic cascade of a series of waterfalls.   Apart from attracting wildlife other plants like ornamental grasses will create rustling sounds when the wind pours through their leaves.  Plants react differently to wind in different seasons; in the autumn for instance seed heads filled with seeds rattle as well as leaves swirling and rustling on a blustery day.
 
Three great plants that can be used to create sound in the garden are: 
 
  1. Bamboo particularly the Phyllostachys varieties e.g. Phyllostachys nigra has foliage that rustles in the wind but on a blustery day the canes knock together producing a hollow sound.
     
  2. Nigella damascena also known as Love-in-a-mist with its blue flowers is quite popular in traditional cottage gardens, likes a well drained and sunny border, on a windy day its seed heads rattle.

  3. Briza maxima known also as greater quaking grass stands around 60cm in height is an annual ornamental grass preferring full sun, will self seed around the garden and has nodding flowers that rustle in the wind.
Hits: 5338 0 Comments
0

Blog Categories

Tag Cloud

front garden green spaces alpines cottage gardens ha ha wild flowers RHS Malvern Wisley Trees garden design trends drought build herbaceous borders RHS pests Highgrove heatwave sunflowers birch productive garden grow your own garden design basil Kelmarsh Hall Hidcote Horticulture Narcissus Tom Hart-Dyke elm John Massey movement in the garden Stoneleigh herbs Garden Planning BBC Joe Swift New York Highline cottage garden Cut flowers Alys Fowler roof garden autumn garden form Mrs Loudon CorTen steel December garden twitter February wildlife Stone Lane Gardens sound in the garden Daffodils Horticultural Berberis May garden garden garden room Urban Heat Island Briza maxima Chelsea Physic Garden lawn care October garden paving rococo sorbus Laurel career in horticulture watering Cloches eco-friendly kitchen garden doddington hall sweat peas HTA Lantra GYO Prince Harry colour in your garden RHS Chelsea Glasshouse water spring bulbs gravel bees Ilex Shrubs bulb display Absorb pollution January garden women and work award Taxus summer garden Bamboo Coastal plants kerb-side appeal traditional style Acuba Matt James Capability Brown edible garden show Moss Bank Park topiary bulbs Wildflowers Geranium snow recycled materials NSALG Chris Beardshaw terracota Echinacea rainwater harvesting surfaces Herb garden CorTen June garden poppies blue James Wong timber July garden Crocus Jekka McVicar ash scented shrubs Events & Shows Gardeners World winner Monty Don Winter shrubs reclaimed materials Perennial Decking Lawrence Johnston courtyard Nicki Jackson planning your garden house plants roof gardens Joseph Banks Fleece pond vertical garden rosemary Great British Garden Revival Achillea Toby Buckland Blue Daisy London Sophie Raworth stonemarket water feature pollinators legacy gift HNC Euphorbia plant pots Buxus February garden Floating Paradise Gardens of London August garden show gardens ornamental grasses Carol Klein Phyllostachys nigra winter garden garden design tip acer September garden Herb RHS Tatton Park structure Kew Gardens plants National Trust Malvern Hills gardening on tv National Gardening Week grey water Alan Titchmarsh Levens Hall contemporary hard landscaping Hosta Futurescape Malvern Spring Show composting November garden Cambridge botanical garden April garden Horticulturalist Selfridges Roof Garden March garden rock gardens water butt watering can Berginia Joanna Lumley Seed sowing unity Snowdrops water conservation Spring shrubs spring garden Kensington Roof Garden saving water Charlie Dimmock Birmingham Library garden focal points Chelsea Flower Show deer hosepipe hydroponic Greenhouse repetition garden advice at home patio pollinating insects RHS Hampton Court Cosmos astrosanguineus Ashwood Nurseries cyclamen Urban Heat Island Effect Rachel de Thame

Welcome to Blue Daisy Blog



Our Promise

promiseWe work hard to keep our customers happy.  We work to a voluntary customer charter.

Peace of Mind

simplybusinessWe take our responsibilities seriously so we're insured through Simply Business.

Click on the logo for our Garden Design insurance details. For Gardening details see our gardening services page.

Proud Members Of...

landscapejuicen... The Landscape Juice Network where we interact with other professional gardeners, designers and landscapers.